Varmint variety

A raccon, something we seldom catch on film

We keep a pile of clam and oyster shells behind our compost set-up, and it’s a big attraction for local varmints.  About a week ago, we tossed out a particularly smelly pile of shells, many with adductor muscles or bits of body attached to them.  I thought this would be a good opportunity to catch [...]

The hole truth

Caught in the act

The other day, we found a deep, narrow hole in the ground in the middle of our blackberry patch. Something had dug a burrow right at the root of one of our bushes. We filled it in, in the hopes of discouraging the critter. Next day, it was back.
It was a small hole, clearly dug [...]

Varmint update

The Varmintcam is perfect for capturing pictures of crows, squirrels, chickens, and the most unflattering views of Kevin and me I have ever seen. It’s either me bending over, or Kevin straining to lift something, or me picking my nose, or Kevin scratching that one part of him that always seems to itch. No matter [...]

Tails of mystery

And they say you shouldn't wear horizontal stripes

I keep hoping that animals will be curious about our Varmintcam. After all, it’s a strange black box that lights up when they go near it. I would think they’d get close, give it a sniff, walk around it – and I’d get some great pictures.
Instead, they seem to walk by, or walk away, and [...]

The varmint round-up

Two game wardens

I grew up listening to Tom Lehrer. My father was at MIT in the late fifties, and anyone who poked fun at Harvard was very popular with his crowd. When I was a kid, the regular record-player rotation seemed to be equal parts Weavers, Clancy Brothers, and Tom Lehrer.
Although I’ve always liked “National Brotherhood Week” [...]

Varmint APB

The break-in site

I need your help. Something got into our “predator-proof” chicken run, and I need to know what it was.
Yesterday morning, when Kevin went out to let the chickens out of the coop, he found a hole in the floor in the run. He followed it to its natural conclusion, and found the tunnel’s end on [...]

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